Salmon could be extinct in Welsh waters by 2030 with warnings nature is at 'critical tipping point'

Salmon could be extinct in some Welsh rivers by 2030, a new report has revealed.

Natural Resources Wales has been looking into the state of the nation's environment, which sets out some bleak findings.

In the State of Natural Resources Report 2025, NRW says Wales is 'degrading' natural resources faster than they can be replenished, with almost one in five species now facing extinction. It adds that Wales is currently using more than its fair share of global natural resources and that the environment remains at a 'critical tipping point'.

The report also outlines how the country is under 'sustained and intensifying pressure', with ecosystems struggling to cope with the combined impacts of climate change, pollution, habitat loss and unsustainable land use.

NRW says Wales must now fundamentally rethink how homes are heated, how it grows and consumes food, how people travel and how they use land to avoid a deepening climate crisis.

Following the publishing of the report, the Chair of NRW, Neil Sachdev, has said, "Our report shows that restoring nature is a whole-society challenge. It demands collective ownership – across public bodies, businesses, communities and citizens.

"Those who argue otherwise need only look at the environmental and climate impacts we have seen in our communities, land and rivers over the last decade.

“This is not just a warning about our future; it is a reckoning with our present. If we act now, with urgency and shared ownership, Wales can lead - not just in ambition - but by delivering the scale of transformation the nation needs.”

Part of the report has shown how there has not been an improvement in the resilience of freshwater ecosystems in Wales since 2020, which has lead to some species going into further decline.

However, NRW does say that some progress has been made since its last major report on the natural world six years ago.

It says peatland restoration, air quality legislation, the Sustainable Farming Scheme and the Wales Metal Mines Programme are examples of targeted interventions that are beginning to address long-standing environmental challenges.

Commenting on the report's findings, Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, says the consequences of failing to sustain nature will fall hardest on the most disadvantaged people.

"Nature is one of our most powerful allies in creating better lives for all of us – preventing flooding, reducing pollution and protecting our health.

“Without urgent, coordinated action across the public sector to halt and reverse the dangerous decline as laid out in Wales 2025 State of Natural Resources Report, we are quite literally putting lives at risk unnecessarily.

“Nature solutions are all around us – as seen across Wales from Swansea’s green roofs to seagrass restoration across the country, and everyone in every public service needs to play a role to unlock the power of nature – in budget planning to land management and how we look after our buildings. "

Responding to the report, the Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS, who has responsibility for the Welsh Government's direction on tackling climate change, says NRW's findings will play an important role in developing future natural resources policies.

“Protecting and enhancing nature is essential for people today, and for future generations. The people of Wales have made real progress – but we need to go further again.

“This report sets out how we can work together to respond, strengthening action to restore nature, tackle pollution and build resilience to climate change.

"The Welsh Government will lead this work alongside partners across the public sector, business and communities to turn evidence into meaningful action.”

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